Many buildings in Berlin have been lost over time. These include the old Hotel Adlon, and the French Cathedral also once looked completely different. And less famous places as well: The Köpenick Radio Station —located in the Uhlenhorst neighborhood—is often overshadowed by Berlin’s better-known industrial monuments. Yet it was once one of Germany’s most modern radio stations. It was built in the 1920s in the style of Brick Expressionism. Today, the landscape looks completely different.
The radio station shaped the landscape
The main building, known as the Hans Poelzig Building, was constructed between 1928 and 1930 according to plans by the famous architect Hans Poelzig. For decades, radio waves were transmitted to the world from here. The Köpenick Radio Station even shaped the cityscape at the time: the 248-meter-high antenna was visible far beyond the forest.
And it achieved a pioneering feat in the history of wireless telephones that is often underestimated: here, engineers developed Latin America’s first functioning mobile phone network and one of the first mobile phones suitable for everyday use.
During the GDR era, the site continued to operate as “Sender Köpenick” and served as a strategically important hub for state broadcasting. After reunification, the site was divided. Communications technology continued to be manufactured on the northern section, while the southern section was shut down and dismantled.
From pioneering work to a lost place
It was once the city’s broadcasting station, but after the construction of the Berlin TV Tower in 1997, the facility became obsolete. Berlin gradually lost this historic building: in 2002, the tall transmission tower— which was already dilapidated —was also demolished.
Today, we can therefore visit this place more as a “lost place,” at least for a short time. New construction is planned here. According to the plans, several residential buildings, offices, a park, and a playground will soon be built.
In any case, you can combine a visit to the former Köpenick Radio Station with an outing into nature. The Wuhlheide and Lake Müggelsee are located very nearby.
